THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 

April19, 2012 ; --~ ' ~ 

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The Honorable Aaron Schock 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

Dear Congressman Schock: 

Thank you for your letter supporting the application of JetBlue Airways for beyond-perimeter 

slot exemptions at Ronald Reagan Washingtou National Airport (DCA). JetBlue's application 

proposes to serve Luis Mufioz Marin Airport in Puerto Rico with one round trip per day from 

DCA. 

Under authority granted iu the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, the 

U.S. Department ofTransportation will be awarding to new entrant or limited incumbent 

carriers a total of eight slot exemptions at DCA, which would support four daily round trips. 

We received JetBlue's application, which also proposes one daily round trip to Austin~ Te~as, on 

March 12. Other timely applications were received from Air Canada, proposing one round 

trip to Vancouver, British Columbia; Alaska Airlines, one round tdp to Portland, Orego11,. and 

one round trip to San Diego; Frontier Airlines, one round trip to Colorado Springs and beyond to 

San Diego; Southwest Airlines, one round trip to Austin and San Diego beyond; Sun 

Country Airlines, one round trip to Las Vegas: and Virgin America, Inc., two round trips to San 

Francisco. 

As the matter is still pending, I cannot comment on the merits of the points raised in your letter. 

However, I can assure you that all applications the Department received will be given full and 

fair consideration and will be evaluated against the selection criteria specified in the statute. 

The Department's action on this matter is being administered through a public docket, which 

allows all interested parties the opportunity to com.ment. Following our normal practice, 1 am 

placing a copy of your lette.r and nse in docket number DOT -2012 9. 
AA~S'CHOCK 

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March 27, 2012 

U.S. SepretaryRa;y LaHood 

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Jam writingto e~press support. for JetBiue Airways appliqation to teeeive th¢;,slots neoe.ssacy to 

serve San Juan~ Puel't:o Rico with non~stop service frem Ronald Reagan National Aiq>ort This 

first·of·its..:kind service would benefit both Puerto Rico and Washingt()n, 0. C. travelers. 

~~rviqe from W~shington to· San Juan has Qccotne l'tlote limited over the years and :tares have 

increas,ed~,sbnu1taneously, JetBlue Airways~ Puerto Rico's hometown airline, has been 

expan!iing.itsservices te key U.S. matket.s. 

Washington D. c.~s service toPqerto· R:ieo ls still inconveniently only from BWl and Du11~s, both 

a significant distance from downtown Washingtop while increasing the overall cost qftraV:~. 

All<?:wing ~on~top service from Reagan National will provide a gr~atbenefitto both Washington 

and Puerto Rico travelers as well as the tourism industry in Puerto Rico. 

,~g¢. J~J~lue witltthe· slots at Ro!la}d R.eagan Nation~! A~IJ>ort. to J'XQ,ylci~"Jgis. . fit §e'ft.ic~·to<Safi Jfi~::Pue·;~?{}:mco: <' · ·., · · ·· · .·. i.~~ .. ;' · . ' ·.. ·.· .. >··: fJ .. ,.,. 

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